Jade’s American Girl Earnings

It all started back in April when we visited the American Girl store in NYC.  After seeing all the beautiful dolls, Jade started perusing the catalogs and dreaming about owning one.  She had just had her birthday, and Christmas was no where in sight.  There was no way I was going to simply buy her a doll, especially an American Girl doll!

I knew Jade was getting old enough to start earning her own money and doing more chores.  As a kid, I was always really money-minded (just ask my parents!) and was very motivated by money.  I asked around and looked on the Internet to find what people do about allowance/work pay/job charts.  Online people said they pay the child’s age per week!  That would mean Jade would get $6 per week for allowance!  Yah, right!!  That is way too much. 

Naturally, I consulted my dear friend, Erin.  She has five wonderful kids and I like her parenting style.  Pretty much any parenting advice/tips she gives, I take to be gold.  She mentioned doing a list of chores for money to earn something (in her kids’ case it was bikes). 

I thought about it for awhile and came up with a plan that I thought was fair for both parties (mom/dad vs. Jade).  Jade could earn an average of $3 per week doing her basic daily chores, plus more for extra jobs.  At this point we were having morning struggles doing the basics and getting ready for school without being scolded (that’s a nicer way of saying “yelled at”).  I decided to use the chart as a way to teach good habits and learn new skills.  Additionally, I knew it was going to take a long time to earn this doll, so I knew there need to be some give-away points, as well as tougher jobs if this was going to work.  If we do another chart, some of the easy items will not be on there again, because now she knows how to do them and has developed better habits.  Once Cody and I decided on a plan, I used Photoshop to make a personalized chart.  This is how it works: each square is worth 10 cents, or 1 point.  Jobs are listed on the right with their allocated points/worth.  With birthday, holiday, and Tooth Fairy money already set aside, Jade needed to still earn $75, or 7,500 points.  Sounds tough, huh!  That is how I wanted it.  She needed to earn this expensive doll.  The hope too, is that she would take better care of it and play with it more this way.  Like I said, there is no way I was just going to buy it for her!!  I knew it would take a long time.  The goal was to earn the doll by the time Aunt Kensley came for Thanksgiving.  Jade started in June.

We held a Family Home Evening on June 2, 2014 to introduce the plan.  The lesson started out by discussing helping hands and how we use our hands to do good things, as well as help around the house. (This was also a necessary lesson for Ridge as he had been hitting other kids in nursery!) Then we pulled out the chart and showed it to her.  We explained it would be hard work and take a long time.  She was very excited and agreed to the terms. 

Jade worked pretty consistently, some days being more motivated than others.  I made sure she stayed on track and gave her extra jobs to do.  She got really good at emptying the dishwasher (which pretty much became a daily chore), found she loves washing windows, and decidedly hates putting laundry away (though I had/have her do it every week anyway).
On November 23, 2014—a few days before Kensley’s arrival—Jade completed the last box on her chart!  It was a long, hard process, but Jade stuck with it and earned the doll of her dreams!  I was so proud of her.
 
While we were in NYC with Kensley during Thanksgiving weekend (more on that later), we blocked out some time for Jade to go buy her doll in person, with her own money!  This smile right here is genuine excitement, folks.  She could not stop grinning!

By the way, Jade chose Isabelle, the Girl of the Year, because she is the only doll that has Jade’s exact features:  hazel eyes, long straight blonde hair, and no freckles or bangs.
If you know me, you know I take pictures of ev.ery.thing.  This was an exciting day.  Naturally, I documented the entire event!  Getting the doll off the shelf… 
 
Waiting in line for the cashier…
 
Paying with her own money!

A very happy girl with the doll she worked so hard for!

Even I have been inspired by Isabelle.  She has actually given me the desire to sew again!  I haven’t really sewn much since Ridge was born!  I guess I just needed something I thought would be fun to make.  Isabelle has a new shirt and pants now!

So far, Jade is taking good care of Isabelle.  The first day we had her home, Jade was about in tears because Ridge was teasing by throwing Isabelle’s shoe around the room.  Jade was so afraid it was going to get lost or ruined.  A couple days later, Jade had the doll at the breakfast table and splashed a little cereal milk on her clothes.  With tears in her eyes, Jade brought Isabelle in to show me.  Isabelle waits patiently on the couch during mealtimes now.  Jade is sure Isabelle is in her own bed at night, because, I quote, “she falls on the floor when I am asleep and I don’t want her hair to get messy.”

Of course, I am thrilled Jade is taking care of—and having fun with—her well earned doll!